Colin James

National party conference delegates at last got their teeth into something halfway through John Key’s speech: they whistled, hurrayed and clapped delight at close supervision of youngsters on benefits.

After a day and a-half of dutifully enthusing at ministers’ recitations of their good works, they could, briefly, be themselves, that is, true conservatives, believers in an ordered society and in punishment or correction of those who do not fit. Here those misfits are on expensive benefit rolls. In Britain they more expensively torch, loot and kill. read more

You can forgive Bill English a little schadenfreude this coming weekend as he walks the floor at the National party ‘s conference. He will be among friends basking in National’s high polling and Labour’s travails. It’s nine years on from 2002.

That election destroyed English’s leadership of National, just as this coming election menaces Phil Goff’s of Labour. Politics is unforgiving. read more

The government is making some interesting choices about what to get done before the election and what to leave till after: KiwiSaver cuts legislated within hours of the Budget; rescuing “vulnerable children” delayed to next year.

It is making some interesting choices about whom it attends to: yes, sir, to more gambling licences for longer for Sky City in exchange for a convention centre (gambling and conventions make profits); wait in line, to vulnerable children (they are a cost). read more

Labour-type parties aren’t doing well in our part of the world and in many of our sorts of countries. Is this conservative triumph or are bigger forces in play?

In Australia Labor lost unexpectedly in Victoria and in a heap in New South Wales, is in deep trouble in Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania and in opposition in Western Australia and the federal party is polling at wipeout levels. Here Labour has averaged around 32 per cent in recent polls. read more

Policy moves in mysterious ways. What seems outlandish one decade can become settled the next: abortion, legal homosexuality, civil unions, the whacking ban. Next the idea of investing in children and young people?

Test this against asset sales and a capital gains tax. Half a decade ago they were both assumed to be suicide notes by any government that did them. read more

Hey, there’s a choice. National will flog off energy companies. Labour will tax for-rent houses. Each is playing to its own. Which is riskier? Which party is on top of the politics?

In January when he as good as committed his government to sell down its stakes in the four energy companies and Air New Zealand, John Key focused on debt. read more

There two Rahui Katenes on Saturday. One told the Dominion Post (so it alleges) that the WAI262 report released that day was “very political, weak and missed the point”. The other, in an official press release late on Friday evening, called it a “lightning rod for a pathway to partnership which reflects the constitutional promises made in the Treaty” of Waitangi. read more